For the second time this season the Bruins (15-6-2) face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins (15-9-0) in an attempt to extend their win streak to two games. Let's get one thing straight though: the fact that we swept the Penguins in the playoffs may have been one of the most fantastic things to happen to this team in recent years but it is not relevant this season. I swear if I hear one more person call this the Penguins revenge, Tuukka Tantrum like shenanigans will occur.

So the Penguins. Everyone knows the Penguins are, and have been for quite some time, one of the best teams in the league. I mean look at their offense for god's sake; they've got guys like Sidney Crosby (who is still and forever will be the most obnoxious player in the league), Evengi Malkin and Chris Kunitz scoring ridiculous numbers of goals and carrying their team to wins. And Fleury isn't looking too shabby this season either with a .923 SV% and a 1.95 GAA. There is no doubt that the Penguins are a force to be reckoned with.

Now the Bruins notoriously have a problem with the Penguins in the regular season. Cue back to last season where things went so poorly with Penguins that Bruins fans kind of panicked when we heard we were playing them in playoffs.

We all know now that it's possible to not only beat the Penguins, but do it in regulation. The Penguins are playing today without Beau Bennett, who has tallied a goal and two assists for the team, Tanner Glass (2 goals, 4 assists), Rob Scuderi (1 assist) and Chuck Kobaskew (2 goals). How much of an effect this is having on the team is debatable, but I'm going to say it's not making things much easier for them. In their last 10 the Penguins are 5-5 and their away record this season is 5-6. This isn't horrible but, to be honest, if they're losing to teams like the Flyers and the Devils, the Bruins are fully capable of beating them. Playing a solid 60 minutes both offensively and defensively is going to be the key to winning this game for the Bruins. Our offense is going to have to be fast, smart and aggressive if we plan on winning. Especially against the Penguins. We have no time for silly penalties, sluggish play or repetitive turnovers. We are going to have to stay on their offense constantly and we're going to have to make sure we give Sidney Crosby no wiggle room. We need to win those puck battles, create traffic in front of the net, avoid excessive passing and just shoot the puck. It will only help if we somehow manage to get under their skin, because it's proven that once someone like Sidney Crosby gets flustered, the entire team follows suit.

Defensively, the Bruins need to focus on placing themselves effectively as to block shots, win puck battles and keep the puck in the offensive zone for as long as possible. We can't afford to have holes in our defense like we've seen in the past because the Penguins will capitalize on that like it's nobody's business. They also need to make sure they're not letting players skate around them. We've seen it happen plenty of times and with the Penguins it might be more prevalent because they are a fast group of guys. Our defense basically needs to get as close to Rask level brick wall as they can.

Speaking of Rask, I'm not even concerned about him. He's proven time and time again that he is more than capable of making timely saves and coming up big when it counts. Fleury has nothing compared to Rask and Rask knows how to handle the Penguins offensive. But we cannot, under any circumstances, make him stand on his head like we did against the Rangers because that is going to end badly for the team and Tuukka's brand new stick.

With that in mind, here are my guys to watch tonight: 1. Carl Soderberg: Our favorite Swed is finally finding his niche on the Bruins. After a fantastic play leading to a goal against Carolina, Soderberg has 3 goals and 7 assists. He is coming into this game with some extra confidence and momentum that, paired with his speed, will definitely help him find ways to break though the Penguins offense and put pressure on Fleury (who doesn't do well under pressure). 2. Jarome Iginla: How could I not say Jarome Iginla? After the debacle that was his decision to go to Pittsburgh, it's only natural to hope that he comes up big for us against the team he thought he'd win the cup with. But in all honesty, Iggy has got some momentum going. He's got 4 goals and 9 assists with a +10 rating. He also knows Pittsburgh's style of play. With all of this going on, I think Iginla will once again prove to be a crucial part of our game and our ability to beat his old team. 3. Shawn Thornton: Thorty is overdue for another goal and it's pretty easy to tell that he doesn't necessarily like the Penguins all that much. The fourth line has been on fire all season and this energy and chemistry has been nothing but beneficial for him. With him being as physical as he is and his ability to shoot and ask questions later, I think he's going be a huge part of our offensive drive tonight.

Score Prediction: 2-1 Bruins Win

Until the end of what is sure to be a stressful, heart attack inducing game,Keep Calm and Bergeron!